Thursday, December 18, 2008

A Nonprofit's Holiday Insight

Paula Huntsman, the Council Director of Otsego County - Girls on the Run, shared these recent thoughts:

Jack Johnson's Rudolph Song lyrics:
Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
had a very shiny nose
and if you ever saw it
you would even say it glows.
All of the other reindeer
use to laugh and call him names.
They never let poor Rudolph join in any reindeer games.
Then one foggy Christmas Eve
Santa came to say;
"Rudolph with your nose so bright,
won't you guide my sleigh tonight?
"Then how the reindeers loved him,
as they shouted out with glee
"Rudolph the red-nosed reindeer
you'll go down in history!
"Well Rudolph he didn't go for that he said "I see through your silly games.
How can you look me in the face when only yesterday you called me names?
"Well, all of the other reindeers, man,
well they did sure feel ashamed,
"Rudolph, you know we're sorry.
We're truly gonna try to change"

This song is a great example for life. Rudolph is different but Santa sees Rudolph's difference as something good and useful- a gift! Rudolph stands up for himself and the reindeer who were teasing apologize and vow to change. Oh, if we could all do this;
  • ~See our differences as gifts
  • ~Stand up for ourselves and be heard
  • ~Apologize when we've hurt someone
  • ~Vow to change our bad habits.

At Girls on the Run we talk about all these issues. The very first lesson as we are getting to know each other we explore our likes and differences. In another lesson we learn key phrases for standing for ourselves without putting the other person on the defensive. We also have a lesson where we explore our habits and think about change.

My New Years wish is for all of us to apply these lessons to our lives and by doing that we will make the world a better place to be!

Peace,

Paula

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